Letters to the editor for Saturday, February 16, 2013

Published: Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 15, 2013 at 7:14 p.m.

Homeless should be local priority

Volusia County government needs to let taxpayers know what their tax money is going to be used for. If the county wants to use our tax money for somehing that is not a priority, and taxpayers don't want it, the county needs to consult with taxpayers. Some projects can be done in the future.

The first priority should be help for the homeless — not just talk about it. Build shelters, showers, parks and areas where they can eat. Many homeless are veterans from many of the wars we have been in; some got hooked on drugs to cope with their lives while fighting for our country. Fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters come home and cannot fit in with their families. They have too many bad memories and are lost.

Pray and help the homeless to survive. Many have lost their limbs, their eyes or even their minds. They need drugs to cope with their lives and it's not their fault. They can't find jobs, or can't hold onto them. They need help — they helped America. Now America, and Volusia County, should help them.



JOE ROMANO

DeLand

Gambling's a good deal

A recent letter writer's suggestion to put a casino in the Ocean Center is a bright light into the future of tourism in the Daytona Beach marketplace. I have been coming to Daytona Beach for 20 years from outside Scranton, Pa., and often remarked that there should be a casino in the area.

I'm not a gambler, but it's a great place to spend an hour or two while on vacation. Yes, I know there is a beach. But what else? In Scranton, there are three casinos within a short driving distance. They not only supply jobs, but bring money into the communities. Daytona Beach needs a casino to draw crowds and spend money.



MARY VANSTON

Jefferson Township, Pa.

Here we go again

I have a friend of a friend's cousin's uncle twice removed who handles money matters for me. He has control of my income, credit cards, lines of credit, and physical assets.

He seems like a very nice person who, with my money, can make my life easier. He will, and has been taking care of everything. He said so. I have noticed that my credit cards are maxed out and my disposable income is being disposed of a lot quicker.

He says not to worry: Paying off credit debt is of little concern at this time. He has a plan to spend more of my money that should, as his theory goes, show returns sometime in the future. Four years ago he said, “I will cut the deficit in half.” Didn't happen. He just made it worse.

I owe $52,000. By the way, so do you and you and you. I saw him at the State of the Union address. He used the same sales pitch as always: We need to invest, here, there, everywhere. (And don't worry, I'll pay for it with your money.)TIM NEESON

Ormond Beach

A dangerous path

After hundreds of years, Americans have attained less freedom from the arbitrary hand of a deadly monarchy than we ever had before. In order to escape threats, we have given up our freedoms for “death by drones.”

Now President Obama's policies can kill any American, when deemed to be a threat. This new rule of law could bring on unintended and tragic consequences — and may kill innocent Americans as long as we embrace it.

Have we gone from the frying pan to the fire to find freedom?

BILL ARCHER

Daytona Beach

Roll back the gun clock

Our forefathers, in their wisdom, wrote the Second Amendment of our Constitution to protect the right to hunt and protect ourselves. The problem with that is, at the time, the guns of choice were muskets. They had no concept of today's technology — the Uzis and the rapid-fire weapons.

Anyone his right mind knows that you don't need these weapons of destruction to hunt or defend your home.

Certainly there is a need for more mental health monitoring, as it has been (in the past) policy to lose mental institutions and make cutbacks in programs designed to help.

Why, when we know there are so many health issues, do we make so readily available these weapons of destruction?

Let people have their weapons of protection — let's give them muskets.

NORAIN SCHRECKENGOST

Port Orange

The foundation of law

It seems new laws are being passed every year so that people can live safer and hopefully better lives. But what about the 10 laws given to us by God so many years ago?

If people would only obey those 10, it would eliminate murder, abortion and greed for starters.

The Lord knew what He was doing back then, and to this day! It's a shame people find it so hard to follow His Word. Their lives would be so much better and so would ours as well.

NANCY OYER

Deltona

Voters have responsibilities

A recent letter to the editor suggested that Gov. Rick Scott’s plan to roll back the early voting period from 14 to eight days was “blatantly politically motivated voter suppression.” His letter was a response to The News-Journal’s Dec. 22 editorial on the changes needed to make voting less time-consuming.

While The News-Journal’s comments were more on target, the writer of the letter has it wrong. Voting is a citizen’s responsibility, and increasing the length of time a voter has to stay unprepared before casting their ballot is not the answer. It is a very small percentage of voters who study the issues, become educated on the candidates, and, importantly, prepare and take the sample ballot into the voting booth. Without the sample ballot with the voters’ selections marked, no wonder the lines at polling stations were so long and moved so slowly.

The early voting period and mail-in ballots are courtesies to voters who might be unavailable on Election Day. They are not cause for procrastination and unpreparedness. It is most certainly not a reason to claim voter suppression.

<p class="bold allcaps">Homeless should be local priority</p>
<p>Volusia County government needs to let taxpayers know what their tax money is going to be used for. If the county wants to use our tax money for somehing that is not a priority, and taxpayers don't want it, the county needs to consult with taxpayers. Some projects can be done in the future. </p><p> The first priority should be help for the homeless — not just talk about it. Build shelters, showers, parks and areas where they can eat. Many homeless are veterans from many of the wars we have been in; some got hooked on drugs to cope with their lives while fighting for our country. Fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters come home and cannot fit in with their families. They have too many bad memories and are lost. </p><p> Pray and help the homeless to survive. Many have lost their limbs, their eyes or even their minds. They need drugs to cope with their lives and it's not their fault. They can't find jobs, or can't hold onto them. They need help — they helped America. Now America, and Volusia County, should help them.</p><p></p><p>JOE ROMANO</p><p>DeLand</p><h3>Gambling's a good deal</h3>
<p>A recent letter writer's suggestion to put a casino in the Ocean Center is a bright light into the future of tourism in the Daytona Beach marketplace. I have been coming to Daytona Beach for 20 years from outside Scranton, Pa., and often remarked that there should be a casino in the area. </p><p> I'm not a gambler, but it's a great place to spend an hour or two while on vacation. Yes, I know there is a beach. But what else? In Scranton, there are three casinos within a short driving distance. They not only supply jobs, but bring money into the communities. Daytona Beach needs a casino to draw crowds and spend money. </p><p> </p><p>MARY VANSTON</p><p>Jefferson Township, Pa.</p><h3>Here we go again</h3>
<p>I have a friend of a friend's cousin's uncle twice removed who handles money matters for me. He has control of my income, credit cards, lines of credit, and physical assets. </p><p> He seems like a very nice person who, with my money, can make my life easier. He will, and has been taking care of everything. He said so. I have noticed that my credit cards are maxed out and my disposable income is being disposed of a lot quicker. </p><p> He says not to worry: Paying off credit debt is of little concern at this time. He has a plan to spend more of my money that should, as his theory goes, show returns sometime in the future. Four years ago he said, “I will cut the deficit in half.” Didn't happen. He just made it worse. </p><p> I owe $52,000. By the way, so do you and you and you. I saw him at the State of the Union address. He used the same sales pitch as always: We need to invest, here, there, everywhere. (And don't worry, I'll pay for it with your money.)TIM NEESON</p><p>Ormond Beach</p><h3>A dangerous path</h3>
<p>After hundreds of years, Americans have attained less freedom from the arbitrary hand of a deadly monarchy than we ever had before. In order to escape threats, we have given up our freedoms for “death by drones.” </p><p> Now President Obama's policies can kill any American, when deemed to be a threat. This new rule of law could bring on unintended and tragic consequences — and may kill innocent Americans as long as we embrace it. </p><p> Have we gone from the frying pan to the fire to find freedom?</p><p>BILL ARCHER</p><p>Daytona Beach</p><h3>Roll back the gun clock</h3>
<p>Our forefathers, in their wisdom, wrote the Second Amendment of our Constitution to protect the right to hunt and protect ourselves. The problem with that is, at the time, the guns of choice were muskets. They had no concept of today's technology — the Uzis and the rapid-fire weapons. </p><p> Anyone his right mind knows that you don't need these weapons of destruction to hunt or defend your home. </p><p> Certainly there is a need for more mental health monitoring, as it has been (in the past) policy to lose mental institutions and make cutbacks in programs designed to help. </p><p> Why, when we know there are so many health issues, do we make so readily available these weapons of destruction? </p><p> Let people have their weapons of protection — let's give them muskets.</p><p>NORAIN SCHRECKENGOST</p><p>Port Orange</p><h3>The foundation of law</h3>
<p>It seems new laws are being passed every year so that people can live safer and hopefully better lives. But what about the 10 laws given to us by God so many years ago? </p><p> If people would only obey those 10, it would eliminate murder, abortion and greed for starters. </p><p> The Lord knew what He was doing back then, and to this day! It's a shame people find it so hard to follow His Word. Their lives would be so much better and so would ours as well.</p><p>NANCY OYER</p><p>Deltona</p><h3>Voters have responsibilities</h3>
<p>A recent letter to the editor suggested that Gov. Rick Scott's plan to roll back the early voting period from 14 to eight days was “blatantly politically motivated voter suppression.” His letter was a response to The News-Journal's Dec. 22 editorial on the changes needed to make voting less time-consuming. </p><p> While The News-Journal's comments were more on target, the writer of the letter has it wrong. Voting is a citizen's responsibility, and increasing the length of time a voter has to stay unprepared before casting their ballot is not the answer. It is a very small percentage of voters who study the issues, become educated on the candidates, and, importantly, prepare and take the sample ballot into the voting booth. Without the sample ballot with the voters' selections marked, no wonder the lines at polling stations were so long and moved so slowly. </p><p> The early voting period and mail-in ballots are courtesies to voters who might be unavailable on Election Day. They are not cause for procrastination and unpreparedness. It is most certainly not a reason to claim voter suppression.</p><p>PAUL CLINE Jr.</p><p>Port Orange</p>